Improvement in steam-generators



tant gianni itin.. g`

TREAT 'l'. PROSSER, OF CHlOAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND HENRY WALLER, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 89,241, elated April 20, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-GENBRATORS.

Toall whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, TREAT T. Peossun, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and-useful Improvement in Steam-Generators; and I do hereby declare that the-following is a full, clear, and exact description of the sa'me, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part oft-his specification, in which- Y Figure lis 'a vertical sectional elevation, on line x-x of g. 2, showing the magazine for containing coal, and also the pipe or conduit through which the gases from the coal are returned to the space below the grates.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation of a generator, constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the damper in its closed position, and the meansv of operating the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, on line 4v 1f-y of iig. l, showing the magazine for coal, and also the damper for the admission of air to the furnace in its open position. Corresponding letters refer to corresponding parts `in the several figures.

rEhe nature of my invention relates to the more per- '.fect development of heat in the combustion of fuel, and

consists in an arrangement for .utilizin g ce1-tain volatile gases in connection with carbon, and obtaining amore complete combustion, and a larger amount of heat and Steam.

As the di'erent fuels contain, in varied proportions, `hydrogen and other volatile gases which are expelled 'by heat, and which, if permitted, rapidly escape before their combustion is effected, and as a large additional amount of heat can be developed by their combustion and that of the carbon they carry oii, it is important to prevent such escape, and utilize them in generating heat.

`0win g to their volatile nature, and the large amount of oxygen required for their combustion, they are seldom, if ever, available in the ordinary furnaces; but by my arrangement they are readily caught and controlled, and eiiectually utilized.

Ama-gazine to receive the coal-aud retain the gases is constructed over the tire-grate, in the tire-box, iilled with coal, and closed at the top. As the coals falling and resting on the grate below and outside of the magazine areA ignited, and that portion in the lower portion ofthe magazine becomes heated, the gases are expelled, and being much lighter than air or carbonio-acid gas, rise and iill the upper part of the magazine. They are then caught and held until the pressure of the constantly rising gases forces them into a pipe running from the upper part of the interior of the magazine to the under side of the lire-grate. Through this pipe, as their only outlet, they have a free passage down to the space belowthe grate, where they are mingled with fresh oxygen; thence ascending again, as they naturally will, with the air through the grate and the burning coals, they become ignited, thorough combustion is accomplished, and they are thus etfectually utilized.

As a very large portion of the heat evolved results from the combustion of these volatile substances, the importance of the above arrangement must be conceded.

Auother valuable result is secured by the use of a magazine for coal. A sufiicient quantity of coal can be put in it at once for the supply of fuel to the boiler for a day, or other fixed period, which will prevent the frequent entrance of cold air through the door of the furnace, whilst the services of a fireman are at the same time dispensed with.

By connecting the air-dampers with the motion of the engine, or with an expansible rod, as shown in the drawings, so as to admit more oxygen as more fire is required, and less oxygen as less fire is required, a greater or less quantity of heat and steam may be developed, corresponding with the wants of the engine.

A, in the drawings, refer to a boiler, or generator of any approved construction, but which shows my improvement as connected therewith.

B is a magazine, or reservoir for coal, which is placed above the grate, its lower end extending into the furnace, but terminating at some distance above the grate,

so that as the coal is burned away from the mouth of suc-h reservoir, other coals will pass out and supply the place upon the grate. of those thus consumed. This reservoir is supplied with an aperture in its t'op, through which the coals are fed to it, and through' it to the fur naces; said apertures to be closed with a cover, which shall form a tight joint therewith, so as to prevent the escape of gas at that point.

O is a pipe or conduit, which may pass through the lower portion of the reservoir B, its upper end terminating some distance below the top of such reservoir, while its lower end passes below the grate of the furnace. The office of this pipe or conduit is to convey the gases which are generated within the reservoir, and such as may be generated within the furnace, and rise up through said reservoir, from the space above the upper end of such pipe, down through the fire-box and below the grate, in order that they may there be mingled with a fresh supply of oxygen, and then caused to rise through the incandescent fuel upon the grate, bywhich means they are ignited and consumed before passing from the boiler.

D is the furnace, or fire-box, which may be of any suitable construction, but which, as it forms no part of my present invention, need not be more particularly described here.

E is the ash-pit, which has an aperture formed in it for the admission of air, as clearly shown in gs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

F is a cone, which is placed above the upper end of I i I i pipe O, to prevent the coals, as they are fed into. the reservoir, from passing down through said pipe. This cone may be perforated, so as to permit the gases to pass freely into the pipe at the same time that it produces the result above indicated.

H H' are ues or tubes, which extend through the water-space of the boiler, their front ends communicating with the re-box D, while their rear ends communicate with the smoke-box I.

K is the uptake, or pipe through which the unconsnmed gases and smoke pass to the atmosphere.

L is the water-space ofthe generator, which in this instance is made to surround the tire-box, as Well as the ues or tubes.

M is a rod or narrow sheet of' metal, such as copper or brass, which is seemed to the outside of the boiler, but so as to be in contact therewith, its rear end being secured te'the boiler, while its front end is permitted to move freely through a loop or staple, secured thereto, so that as it becomes heated, its cxtreme outer endl shall press upon 'the lower end of the damper, and thus close or partially close the same, whenever the temperature within the generator rises above the desired amount. 4

N is a damper, which is hinged to a support secured to the head of the boiler in such a manner that when it is in position shown in fig.`3, about the properamonnt of air will be admitted for the support of combustion;-

but should the temperature increase above what is desired, it will be-acted upon by the expansible rod, as above described, and thus be closed to such an extent as to reduce the temperature to its proper point.

Ido not propose to claim in this application the use, broadly, of a furnace constructed as above described, as I prefer to reserve such a claim for a separate application, and to limit the present case to an improvement in steam-generators.

vHaving thus described my invention,

` What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf- A steam-generator, having arranged Within its rebox, and opening out of the same, a magazine or reservoir for coals, and a pipe or conduit for conveying the gases which are generated by the distillation of such Goals, and discharging them below the grate, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

T. T. PROSSER. Witnesses:

D. P. HoLLoWAY, F. H. SPRAGUE. 

